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Articles 2011 - 2040 of 2525
Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Oral Mucositis In Children Receiving Bone Marrow Transplantation, Francisco Jose Rodriguez
Oral Mucositis In Children Receiving Bone Marrow Transplantation, Francisco Jose Rodriguez
All ETDs from UAB
Purpose: The purpose of this retrospective study was to identify the factors that influence the incidence, severity, onset, and resolution of oral mucositis in children undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Methods: One hundred and fifty medical records were reviewed of patients that received BMT. Daily values of white blood cell (WBC) counts were obtained to associate it’s correlation with the incidence, severity, onset, and resolution of oral mucositis. Age group and gender of the patients, type of bone marrow transplant, the use of methotrexate, the use of total body irradiation, and the previous treatment with chemotherapy were obtained to analyze …
Trp-Ing Down A Trk: A New Role For Transient Receptor Potential Channels As Novel Mediators Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Actions At Both Sides Of The Excitatory Synapse, Michelle Dawn Amaral
Trp-Ing Down A Trk: A New Role For Transient Receptor Potential Channels As Novel Mediators Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Actions At Both Sides Of The Excitatory Synapse, Michelle Dawn Amaral
All ETDs from UAB
Over the years, various roles for neurotrophins have been revealed, being initially described as survival signals for neurons making their initial synaptic contacts in the developing brain. Eventually, it was discovered that these molecules also play important modulatory roles in the adult brain. The work encompassed in this dissertation serves to characterize one particular neurotrophin, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which has been implicated in long-term potentiation (LTP), and its effects at CA3-CA1 synapses in the hippocampus following acute application in vitro. To this end, we have demonstrated the presence of a novel, non-selective cationic current that is initiated by BDNF …
Characterization Of Sortase And Its Effect On The Virulence Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Allison E. Bennett
Characterization Of Sortase And Its Effect On The Virulence Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae, Allison E. Bennett
All ETDs from UAB
Sortases are transpeptidases that covalently link surface proteins to the stempeptide on the cell wall peptidoglycan of Gram-positive bacteria. This work endeavored to characterize the various sortase enzymes and their effect on the virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae. The genome of S. pneumoniae may encode up to four sortase enzymes. We found that 38 of 54 strains of serotype 6B clonal complex 14 (CC14) carry the genes for the secondary sortases srtB, srtC, and srtD. The presence of these sortases did not seem to influence the ability of strains within CC14 to infect the nasopharynx, lungs, or blood of strains within …
Visualizing The Function And Migration Of T Cells, Kari J. Dugger
Visualizing The Function And Migration Of T Cells, Kari J. Dugger
All ETDs from UAB
Lymphocytes are highly mobile cells that can travel throughout the body in response to a multitude of stimuli. Identifying lymphocyte trafficking patterns in vivo is essential for a complete understanding of immune function. Cell-cell and cell-tissue interactions in immune development and in lymphocyte response to stimuli can be comprehended with these investigations. Although the location of cell populations in various tissues at any given point in time may be investigated by techniques such as flow cytometry and immunofluorescence, these methods are not easily used in the assessment of dynamic cell migration patterns in vivo. In the past years, technologies for …
The Role Of Chloride In The Volume Regulation Of Human Glioma Cells, Nola Jean Ernest
The Role Of Chloride In The Volume Regulation Of Human Glioma Cells, Nola Jean Ernest
All ETDs from UAB
According to the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States, the most common primary brain tumors are gliomas, tumors composed of cells of glial origin, most commonly astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The most aggressive of these tumors are characterized by hyperproliferation, marked cellular and nuclear atypia, extensive infiltration into surrounding normal brain tissue, and large areas of cell and tissue death. Previous data published by our lab and others suggest that these biological processes may involve regulated cell volume changes. Using cell volume regulation in the presence of an anisosmotic challenge as a model for cell swelling and shrinkage, cell …
Importance Of Trnalys,3 Structure And Use In Gag Translation For Primer Selection Required For Replication Of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type I, Wanfeng Yu
All ETDs from UAB
The features of tRNALys,3 that dictate why human immunodeficiency virus exclu-sively selects this tRNA as the primer for initiation of reverse transcription is unknown. The post-transcriptional modification at nucleotide 58 in the TΨC stem-loop could play a role during plus-strand synthesis to stop reverse transcriptase from re-copying the tRNA primer. Nucleotides 53 and 54 within the TΨC stem loop of the tRNA have been shown to be important to form the complex between tRNA and the HIV-1 viral genome during initiation of reverse transcription. To further delineate the features of the TΨC stem loop in tRNALys,3 in reverse transcription, we …
The Association Between Insulin And Inflammation In African American And European American Children, Jessica A. Alvarez
The Association Between Insulin And Inflammation In African American And European American Children, Jessica A. Alvarez
All ETDs from UAB
Insulin has anti-inflammatory properties. Markers of inflammation (MOI) increase in the postprandial state. African Americans (AA) have higher post-challenge insulin concentrations compared to European Americans (EA). The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between insulin and MOI in both the fasting and postprandial state. We hypothesized that, after accounting for confounding factors, fasting and postprandial insulin would be inversely associated with MOI, and that AA would have a lower postprandial inflammatory response because of a higher insulin response. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL6), soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type 2 (sTNF-R2), and insulin concentrations were assessed at …
Ca 2+ /Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Ii Regulates The Growth Of Human Osteosarcoma Cells In Vivo, Hyeran Choo
Ca 2+ /Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase Ii Regulates The Growth Of Human Osteosarcoma Cells In Vivo, Hyeran Choo
All ETDs from UAB
Osteosarcoma is the most predominant primary bone cancer among pediatric patients. The pathogenesis and mechanism of osteosarcoma, however, as yet remains unclear. This study investigated the hypothesis that Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II), activated by Ca2+ and its intracellular receptor, calmodulin, plays a critical role in the growth of human osteosarcoma cells. The inhibition of CaMK II with its pharmacologic antagonist KN-93 was used to investigate the role of CaMK II in the growth of human osteosarcoma cells because our preliminary data showed that =-CaMK II is expressed in several human osteosarcoma cell lines. To examine the in vivo …
Isolation And Characterization Of Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells, Isabel C. Gay
Isolation And Characterization Of Human Periodontal Ligament Stem Cells, Isabel C. Gay
All ETDs from UAB
The periodontal ligament (PDL) is thought to include progenitor cells capable of forming fibroblasts, osteoblasts and cementoblasts. However, characterization of PDL stem cell populations (SC) remains undetermined due in part, to the diversity of cell types that conform to the periodontal apparatus. Objective: To isolate and characterize PDLSC and assess their pluripotent capabilities to differentiate into bone, cartilage and adipose cell types. Methods: PDL was scraped from human teeth, enzymatically digested, and cells stained for STRO- 1 (SC marker) using fluorescent immunohistochemistry. Positive cells were FACS sorted and expanded in culture. Human bone marrow SC (BMSC) served as a positive …
The Influence Of Insulin On Lipolysis In African American And Caucasian Prepubertal, Premenopausal, And Postmenopausal Females, Laura Lee T Goree
The Influence Of Insulin On Lipolysis In African American And Caucasian Prepubertal, Premenopausal, And Postmenopausal Females, Laura Lee T Goree
All ETDs from UAB
African Americans, compared to Caucasians, may have chronically suppressed free fatty acid (FFA) mobilization due to basal and postprandial hyperinsulinemia. The pur-pose of this study was to determine if lower FFA among African Americans are due to higher insulin concentration and if this ethnic difference in FFA, beta cell function, and insulin suppression of FFA declines with age. Subjects who qualified underwent a fre-quently-sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT) for determination of insulin sensitivity (Si) and the acute insulin response to glucose (AIRg). Body composition and fat distribution were assessed with dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and com-puted tomography (CT), respectively. …
A Case Series Study Of Vitapex Pulpectomy Treatment In Primary Teeth Ii, Hsin-Ju Hsieh
A Case Series Study Of Vitapex Pulpectomy Treatment In Primary Teeth Ii, Hsin-Ju Hsieh
All ETDs from UAB
Purpose. The aim of this case series study was to conduct a long-term follow-up and review of subjects with previous Vitapex® pulpectomies, to evaluate outcomes clinically and radiographically, and to ascertain whether there was any interference with exfoliation of deciduous teeth or abnormal development of succedaneous teeth. Methods. This case series study was conducted by following target groups of pediatric patients who had received Vitapex® pulpectomies in their primary teeth. Data were collected by reviewing charts, identifying patients who met our criteria, and recalling them for follow-up appointments. After sufficient data were accumulated, survival analysis was applied and presented by …
Stem Cell Markers In The Posterior Limbus And Cornea, Sara L. Mcgowan
Stem Cell Markers In The Posterior Limbus And Cornea, Sara L. Mcgowan
All ETDs from UAB
The corneal endothelium is a layer of cells in the cornea that is responsible for maintaining the clear state of the cornea. Corneal endothelial cells may be induced to divide, but do not regularly divide in the normal cornea of a human beyond the age of twenty. Some studies have suggested that a stem cell population may reside in the pe-ripheral corneal endothelium or in the posterior limbus. Important molecular markers of stem cells are nestin which is expressed in neural crest stem cells; alkaline phosphatase is active in stem cells and not in differentiated cells; telomerase is a marker …
The Effect Of Cementation Technique On The Retention Of Adhesively Cemented Prefabricated Posts, Carlos A Polo Montes
The Effect Of Cementation Technique On The Retention Of Adhesively Cemented Prefabricated Posts, Carlos A Polo Montes
All ETDs from UAB
Adhesively cemented prefabricated posts are frequently employed for the restora-tion of endodontically treated teeth. Bonding agents may improve the post and core per-formance. Correct dentin bonding procedures are a critical factor in the bonded post re-tention, but adequate bonding in the canal space has been reported difficult to achieve. The operator is unable to visualize the depth of conditioner gel penetration into the canal, and its removal cannot be easily confirmed. Additional potential problems include excess water removal after rinsing the canal, inadequate primer coverage and/or removal, and poor curing methods for the resin luting agent. A technique to avoid …
Outcome Assessment On Skeletal Stability After Rigid External Distraction Osteogenesis In Cleft Lip And Palate Patients, Julio Enrique Tabarini
Outcome Assessment On Skeletal Stability After Rigid External Distraction Osteogenesis In Cleft Lip And Palate Patients, Julio Enrique Tabarini
All ETDs from UAB
Purpose: Distraction osteogenesis (DO) using an external distraction device in the correction of maxillary hypoplasia (MH) in cleft lip and palate patients has been shown to be an effective and stable technique. The purpose of this study is to determine the outcome of skeletal stability for this procedure using the Rigid External Distraction (RED) System in patients with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Materials and methods: Twenty CLP patients with moderate to severe maxillary hypoplasia were treated between June 2000 and June 2006. Their average age at the time of the surgery was 12.6 years. DO was started after a …
Examination Of Novel Statistical Designs For Phase Ii And Phase Iii Clinical Trials, Ayanbola Olajumoke Ayanlowo
Examination Of Novel Statistical Designs For Phase Ii And Phase Iii Clinical Trials, Ayanbola Olajumoke Ayanlowo
All ETDs from UAB
Clinical trials to determine the usefulness of a new treatment are usually conducted in four (4) phases. Each phase is designed to answer a distinct research question about the usefulness of the new treatment. Phase I trials determine the safe dose range of the new treatment identify the possible side effects and other treatment associated toxicity issues, in a small group of healthy people. In phase II trials, the efficacy and safety of the new treatment is investigated in a larger group of individuals usually from the diseased population of interest. Phase III trials, conducted in large groups of people, …
Vitamin D Receptor Deficiency And Postnatal Tooth Formation, Xueming Zhang
Vitamin D Receptor Deficiency And Postnatal Tooth Formation, Xueming Zhang
All ETDs from UAB
The reduction of caries is one of the major objectives of Healthy People 2010 (USDHHS, 2000). For individuals at risk for caries, early identification and interception before the occurrence of the disease are crucial to preventing the cariogenesis. However, host genetic variants that compromise the mineralization of dental enamel and dentin are unclear. The vdr mutation has been reported to be associated with bone loss. Therefore, it is likely that vitamin D resistance may affect dental enamel and dentin formation. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of VDR deficiency on postnatal tooth formation in a vdr …
Predictors Of Indoor Dust Mite And Cockroach Levels, J Mark Brooks
Predictors Of Indoor Dust Mite And Cockroach Levels, J Mark Brooks
All ETDs from UAB
Exposures to dust mite and cockroach indoor allergens are important environmental risk factors in allergic sensitization and the development and exacerbation of asthma. To determine the relationship of indoor allergen levels and residence characteristics, dust samples were collected from indoor surfaces in residences in the Birmingham, Alabama area. The dust samples were analyzed for specific dust mite (Der p 1 and Der f 1) and cockroach (Bla g 1) antigens, the results of which were used to represent the level of indoor allergen present in each residence. The presence, and in some cases the degree, of potential allergen-predicting characteristics of …
The Impact Of A Community Health Advisor-Based Intervention On Self-Reported Frequency Of Dental Visits In A Rural, Low-Income African American Alabama Community, Stephen J. Clarke
The Impact Of A Community Health Advisor-Based Intervention On Self-Reported Frequency Of Dental Visits In A Rural, Low-Income African American Alabama Community, Stephen J. Clarke
All ETDs from UAB
Oral health disparities are wide and increasing for rural Southern African- Americans. This project trained 13 experienced Community Health Advisors (CHAs) from Uniontown, Alabama, in the basics of oral health, including regular dental visits, and assigned them to spread this information among their fellow community members. We tested whether a 1-year CHA-based oral health education intervention was associated with increased routine/preventive use of available dental services as measured by pre-post self-report, relative to a comparison community. We also hypothesized that any detected association between the intervention and use of dental services was mediated by attitudes toward dental visits. No direct …
Characterization And Functional Analysis Of Usp14, Stephen Lewis Crimmins
Characterization And Functional Analysis Of Usp14, Stephen Lewis Crimmins
All ETDs from UAB
The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is essential for regulated protein degrada-tion, a requirement for numerous neuronal process, including vesicle cycling, neuro-transmitter release, spine morphology, and synaptic plasticity. Better understanding of UPS function in neurons will increase our knowledge of neurological diseases caused by alterations in ubiquitin signaling. I utilized the ataxia (axJ) mice as a tool to study the UPS in the nervous system. The axJ mice have lowered expression of ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (Usp14) in all tissues; this decreased expression results from an intracisternal-A particle insertion into Usp14. The axJ mice are phenotypically indistinguishable from wild type littermates at …
Coupling Selection Of The Hiv- 1 Trna Primer Used For Reverse Transcription With Viral Translation And Encapsidation, Uros V. Djekic
Coupling Selection Of The Hiv- 1 Trna Primer Used For Reverse Transcription With Viral Translation And Encapsidation, Uros V. Djekic
All ETDs from UAB
HIV-1 belongs to the Retroviridae family. A hallmark of retroviral replication is the process of reverse transcription. Viral reverse transcriptase requires placement of a cellular tRNA primer onto the primer binding site (PBS) in order to initiate conversion of the viral RNA genome into a double stranded DNA copy. Mutation of the HIV-1 PBS forces the virus to utilize the non-cognate primer. Even though extensive studies have been done over the past 15 years, the mechanism of HIV-1 primer selection has yet to be completely elucidated. HIV-1 captures free tRNA during a yet undefined step in viral replication. However, our …
Protease Dysregulation: Role In Neutrophilic Inflammation In Cystic Fibrosis, Amit Gaggar
Protease Dysregulation: Role In Neutrophilic Inflammation In Cystic Fibrosis, Amit Gaggar
All ETDs from UAB
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a lethal disorder characterized by abnormal epithelial ion transport; this disorder is characterized by an ongoing airway remodeling and neutrophilic inflammation. Much of the airway remodeling is due to activation of a group of enzymes known as proteases; human neutrophil elastase (HNE) is a prominent protease found in the CF airway. While specific cytokines/chemokines are well-known for their role in the inflammation seen in CF, it is unknown how the protease-rich environment in CF lung disease influences airway inflammation. Recently, our group has characterized a novel collagen-derived fragment, proline-glycine-proline (PGP), which causes neutrophil influx through mechanisms …
Protein Interaction And Cell Surface Trafficking Differences Between Wild-Type And Δf508 Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator, Rebecca F. Goldstein
Protein Interaction And Cell Surface Trafficking Differences Between Wild-Type And Δf508 Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator, Rebecca F. Goldstein
All ETDs from UAB
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutation of one protein, the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), which normally functions as a chloride channel at the apical surface of epithelial cells. The most common CFTR mutation results in the deletion of a single amino acid (phenylalanine) at position 508, which causes the protein to fold improperly. The ΔF508 CFTR is a temperature-sensitive (TS) processing mutant: At the restrictive temperature, 37°C, ΔF508 CFTR misfolds in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and is degraded, but at the permissive temperature, 27°C, it is “rescued” from degradation (rΔF508). In particular, rΔF508 CFTR folds correctly enough …
Interference With Hiv-1 Primer Selection By Sirna Directed To The Hiv-1 Primer Binding Site, Wenlong Han
Interference With Hiv-1 Primer Selection By Sirna Directed To The Hiv-1 Primer Binding Site, Wenlong Han
All ETDs from UAB
The replication of Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is characterized by the process of reverse transcription, which converts the viral RNA genome into a DNA intermediate prior to integration into the host cell chromosome. The initiation of reverse transcription needs a cellular tRNA primer, which binds to a region in the viral RNA genome, designated as the primer binding site (PBS). The 18-nucleotide PBS region of HIV-1, which is complementary to the 3′ terminal 18 nucleotides of tRNALys,3, is absolutely conserved among all HIV-1. The highly conserved PBS is a very good target for HIV-1 therapy. My dissertation research …
Regulation Of The Human Heme Oxygenase-1 Gene, Thomas D. Hock
Regulation Of The Human Heme Oxygenase-1 Gene, Thomas D. Hock
All ETDs from UAB
The heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene encodes a microsomal enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of heme to carbon monoxide, Iron, and biliverdin. HO-1 transcription is induced upon a plethora of cellular stresses including heme, heavy metal exposure, hy-poxia, oxidative stress and many others. The goal of this work was to explore the molecu-lar regulation of HO-1 transcription. Four DNase 1 hypersensitive sites are detected within the HO-1 promoter extending from ~-40bp to ~-9.2kb relative to the transcription start site. Dimethylsulfate (DMS) in vivo footprinting is shown for two regulatory re-gions and reveals nine protected guanines in all. Mutational analyses indicates that …
Quantitation Of Antiretrovirals In Alternative Matrices, Chantelle Bennetto Hood
Quantitation Of Antiretrovirals In Alternative Matrices, Chantelle Bennetto Hood
All ETDs from UAB
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pandemic is a growing concern, affecting almost 40 million people worldwide. Treatment for HIV infection consists of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) to block different steps in the viral lifecycle, ultimately reducing HIV RNA to undetectable levels in the plasma. However, HIV RNA can be detected in numerous reservoirs outside of the blood despite the use of HAART. Therefore, measurement of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs in other biological matrices is important to broaden our understanding of HIV transmission, the development of viral resistance with sub-optimal ARV exposure, and fetal and neonatal drug exposure. This work describes …
Ethnic Differences In Markers Of Inflammation With Weight Loss, Tanya C. Hyatt
Ethnic Differences In Markers Of Inflammation With Weight Loss, Tanya C. Hyatt
All ETDs from UAB
Chronic diseases such as type 2 Diabetes Mellitis (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are accompanied by chronic low-grade systemic inflammation and are related to obesity and ethnicity. For instance, African-Americans (AA) have increased risk for developing T2DM and are more likely to be overweight relative to Caucasians (C). However, C have more intra-abdominal adipose tissue (IAAT) and have higher risk for CVD than AA. The influence that ethnicity has on disease risk is obscured by ethnic differences in fat distribution and sensitivity to insulin. Ethnic differences in markers of inflammation (MOI) have not been investigated. It is also unclear if …
On The Immunological Roles Of Tlt2 And Hsh2, R Glenn King
On The Immunological Roles Of Tlt2 And Hsh2, R Glenn King
All ETDs from UAB
The evolution of multicellular organisms necessitated the ability to detect and remove harmful parasitic microorganisms from the host. This simple requirement for self non-self discrimination has evolved in vertebrates into an elaborate system consisting of a variety of effector mechanisms to perform this process. The immune system is often described as consisting of two distinct yet complimentary components, the innate and adaptive immune systems. It is now recognized that the immune system relies on the highly coordinated interplay between a variety of cell types which cooperate to maintain the health of the organism. The work outlined in this dissertation addresses …
The Effect Of The Aml1-Eto Translocation On Cell Cycle Tumor Suppressor Gene Function, Rose Marie Ko
The Effect Of The Aml1-Eto Translocation On Cell Cycle Tumor Suppressor Gene Function, Rose Marie Ko
All ETDs from UAB
The t(8;21)(q22;q22) AML1-ETO translocation is one of the most frequent translocations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), occurring in approximately 12% of cases. Our laboratory has generated a mouse model in which AML1-ETO is expressed in hematopoietic progenitor cells using a retroviral vector and assayed using bone marrow transplantation. Animals transplanted with AML1-ETO-expressing cells failed to develop leukemia. However, AML1-ETO promoted significant expansion of immature myeloid cells suggesting a “pre-leukemic” state that requires secondary mutations for disease progression. In addition, analysis of cell cycle kinetics in AML1-ETOexpressing myeloid progenitor cells showed that AML1- ETO slowed G1 to S phase progression compared …
Titania Coated Hollow Glass Microspheres For Environmental Applications, Mark C. Koopman
Titania Coated Hollow Glass Microspheres For Environmental Applications, Mark C. Koopman
All ETDs from UAB
The potential applicability of titania coated hollow glass microspheres (HGMs) to the photocatalytic degradation of microbiological and organic chemical water pollutants could have dramatic positive effects on improving the quality of industrial wastewaters that empty into rivers and streams, as well as potential use in economically improving the quality of drinking water. Heterogeneous photocatalysis using titania has been extensively studied since the 1990’s because of its non-toxic nature, its high quantum yield of electrons and photo-holes, and its ability to use ambient solar radiation as a power source. Although titania embodies extraordinarily attractive properties for a range of environmental applications, …
The Role Of Complement In The Clearance Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Through Immune Adherence, Jie Li
The Role Of Complement In The Clearance Of Streptococcus Pneumoniae Through Immune Adherence, Jie Li
All ETDs from UAB
Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most frequently isolated pathogen causing bacteremia in young children and elderly adults. Complement-dependent opsonophagocytosis is thought to be essential to eliminate pneumococci from the circulation. Pneumococci are reported to attach to erythrocytes through immune adherence (IA), a complement and antibody- dependent process that facilitates phagocytosis of pneumococci. In these studies we have determined that protein (chapter 1) and polysaccharide (chapter 2) virulence factors of pneumococci can interfere with this process and that antibody to pneumococci can enhance this process. Using PspA and/or PspC negative strains and complement-deficient mouse sera, we demonstrated that PspA inhibits complement C1q …